How much does Royal Family cost taxpayers - and how much do they bring in tourism?
Our royal correspondent Rhiannon Mills gives the rundown on how much taxpayers are putting towards the Royal Family, and whether this is made up for by tourism.
Tuesday 5 July 2022 16:52, UK
Last month, millions celebrated the Queen's Platinum Jubilee as a thanks for the monarch's 70 years of dedicated service on the throne.
But the extensive celebrations were against a backdrop of soaring bills for families across the UK, with inflation rising to record levels and energy and fuel prices AG百家乐在线官网-rocketing.
During a live Q&A, our royal correspondent Rhiannon Mills was asked whether the royals have done enough to comment on the cost of living crisis and whether they are worth taxpayers' money.
Here is what she said...
At a time when all we keep hearing about is the cost of living crisis and our bills rising, the thought of the monarchy costing us over £100m last year is eye-watering.
They would justify the spend on things like refurbishing Buckingham Palace and expensive flights, saying it's all to do with the important official work they carry out on behalf of the country.
To be fair to them, a lot of their engagements recently have had a focus on those who are struggling financially. Kate made a visit to a baby bank where they hand out donations to parents, Prince Charles looked at employment opportunities for young people, and William talked to men about the mental toll that financial struggles are having. But they will inevitably always face the criticism of "how can they understand?" when their family is one of the most privileged in the country.
The figures for how much they bring in tourism are always up for debate. I saw one set of numbers from Forbes magazine saying they're worth £19bn to Britain's economy every year.
That's obviously thanks to people visiting all of the royal palaces, and tourists generally flocking to London to stand outside the likes of Buckingham Palace. Also having a royal warrant on various goods and products is often seen as an excellent selling point.
But what I've always found most interesting is talking to diplomats and ambassadors about how influential the Royal Family can be when it comes to promoting brand Britain, with many agreeing that there isn't anything more powerful than a royal visit or an invitation to spend time with the Queen for maintaining our relationships with countries around the world.
But it won't stop the debate about whether the Windsors are value for money.